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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24573514">I'll be Looking at the Moon, But I'll be Seeing You</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReplacementRobin/pseuds/ReplacementRobin'>ReplacementRobin</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>JayTim Week 2020 [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Batman - All Media Types, DCU</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Falling In Love, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Huddling For Warmth, IN SPACE!, Idiots in Love, M/M, Mutual Pining, Sharing a Bed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 04:20:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>4,340</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24573514</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ReplacementRobin/pseuds/ReplacementRobin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Something you learn very quickly about space is that it’s cold. The kind of cold that seeps into your bones and makes you wonder if you’ll ever be warm again. It reminds Jason of the winter months he’d spent on the streets. Of sleeping in alleys and wondering if he’d wake up in the morning with all his toes still intact. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>  <em>Or</em></p>
<p> </p>
<p>  <em>Jason and Tim get stuck in space, they proceed to snuggle, snark, and just maybe fall in love.<em></em></em></p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Tim Drake/Jason Todd</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>JayTim Week 2020 [6]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1767865</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>182</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>JayTimWeek</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>I'll be Looking at the Moon, But I'll be Seeing You</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Jason can feel Tim glaring at the back of his head from the other side of the escape pod. Not that it’s all that far away with the entire space being a singular room and a small bathroom. </span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Would you stop staring at me?” Jason eventually exclaims, turning to look at the other boy.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“No,” Tim replies, “because this is all your fault.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“You’re just as responsible for this situation as me, kid!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Firstly, don’t call me kid, and secondly, I’m not the one who got us ejected into, and </span>
  <em>
    <span>stuck,</span>
  </em>
  <span> in space!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“How was I supposed to know what the button would do!” Jason argues, throwing his hands up.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“If you didn’t know what it did, why did you push it?” Tim snaps back vigorously.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Jason sighs and turns back to the manual he’s been reading. They’ve already had this argument three times and they’ve only been stuck in here for a handful of hours. He has no idea how he is supposed to survive the remaining ones until rescue arrives.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Although he was loathe to admit it, the situation they currently found themselves in had </span>
  <em>
    <span>mostly</span>
  </em>
  <span> been his fault. Tim had been checking out the escape pods on Kory’s ship - they’d teamed up with the Titans for a space related mission - and Jason had decided to tag along to annoy him. Before he’d started the basic maintenance check of the ship, he’d told Jason not to touch anything, to which Jason had retorted he could touch whatever he wanted to because it was his ship. Tim had replied snarkily that it was actually Kory's ship and, in an act of petulance Jason had come to regret immensely, he’d poked the closest button to him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Nothing happened for a moment, and Jason was about to give Tim a smug ‘told you so’ when the ship had lurched and sent them hurtling into space. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Once they realized what happened they’d immediately gotten in touch with the team. However at the speed and trajectory of their launch it was going to take them at least 4 days to get to them, and since the pod had plenty of food, water, and other necessities, they’d deemed their rescue unurgent. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The only real danger was Tim and Jason killing each other.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He hears rustling as Tim shifts in the chai at the control station he’s been sitting at for most of the time they’ve been trapped.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Staring at the screen isn’t going to make anything change.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“There isn’t much else to do, Jason. Sorry I didn’t think to bring a book, I just wasn’t expecting to get stuck in space!” Tim says with a mixture of sarcasm and exasperation.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Having an attitude won’t change anything either,” Jason scowls.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tim huffs in annoyance, but stays quiet. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>___</span>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Something you learn very quickly about space is that it’s cold. The kind of cold that seeps into your bones and makes you wonder if you’ll ever be warm again. It reminds Jason of the winter months he’d spent on the streets. Of sleeping in alleys and wondering if he’d wake up in the morning with all his toes still intact. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>For this reason, his bunk on Kory’s ship has numerous thick blankets and fluffy pillows. On this ship however, there are none of those. He's stuck with a thin pillow and the cotton like blankets standard to the warm running </span>
  <span>Tamaranean people’s </span>
  <span>ships.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jason runs hotter now than he did before the Pit. He likes to joke that it’s because he’s closer to hell, and so even though he’s freezing his ass off, he’s doing better than Tim, who’s teeth he can hear chattering from the other side of the room. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After a few fitful hours of tossing and listening to Tim freezing he gets up. Dragging his blanket and pillow with him and throwing them on Tim’s bed, “Move over.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“What are you doing?” Tim says looking up at him confused, and Jesus- are the guy’s lips turning blue?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“We’re both freezing and I can hear you shivering from the other side of the room. It’s dumb not to share body heat, so move your skinny ass over,” he grumbles.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tim complies silently, unable to argue with the logic and too cold to protest, scooting over to give Jason enough space to climb into the small bed. Jason slips under Tim's blanket and pulls his own over both of them, getting his pillow in a comfortable position before lying down, his back to Tim.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>They lie there for a few moments before Jason sighs and turns over, pulling the other boy up against him and throwing an arm over his waist. Tim tenses up and Jason huffs, “Shut up, and go to sleep.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tim is about to protest that he didn’t say anything, but surrounded by the larger boy's warmth, he instead closes his eyes. letting himself finally drift off into unconsciousness. Jason’s steady breathing lulling him to sleep.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>___</span>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>When Jason wakes up Tim is already gone and he can hear the shower running. The sheets next to him are cold, any lingering body heat has already dissipated. He must have gotten up a while ago.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>After staring at the ceiling for several long minutes, Jason decides to do what of his morning exercise routine he can manage without any equipment, which mostly consists of crunches, pushups, and burpees. Tim takes so long in the shower that Jason’s built up a sheen of sweat.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>When he eventually emerges, he’s dressed, but his hair is still wet, the longer strands falling in front of eyes and clinging to his cheekbones. Jason barely manages to drag his eyes away from those sharp cheekbones in time to not be caught staring, returning to his sit ups with vigour.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you doing?” Tim asks after a moment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Jason looks up at him and raises an eyebrow like the answer is obvious, which it is, “Exercise, gotta stay fit somehow,” he shrugs.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Tim rolls his eyes at the answer, “Why are you doing it shirtless.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Jason glances down at his bare chest, then over to where his shirt is folded on the bed, before looking back at Tim, “Trying to delay laundry.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tim doesn’t reply, instead rolling his eyes again and walking away, probably to go stare at the control panel for several more hours.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>___</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Tim Drake was going to die of thirst. No, not because they had mysteriously run out of waterpouches, but because Jason fucking Todd was the biggest goddamn tease Tim had ever met. Tim wasn’t even sure he knew he was doing it, not all of it at least.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He’d definitely picked up that his shirtless workouts made Tim... uncomfortable, and had taken to doing them in every spare moment. He thankfully hadn’t picked up on the way Tim had nearly fainted when Jason had walked out the shower with his hair still damp. That’s when Tim had discovered it was actually curly, and every time Jason ran his fingers through it or flicked it out his face Tim’s ears turned pink - they were helpfully hidden by his own hair.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>And so Tim decided he’d try to enact some revenge. On the third day of their unwanted cohabitation Jason had woken up alone. Which wasn’t unusual, but he couldn’t hear the shower running, which was. He turned over to look around the room and found the other boy stretching in the place Jason usually did his own work outs.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you doing?” Jason asks, watching as Tim bends in ways that probably should not be possible.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tim turns to him with a raised eyebrow. “Exercise. Gotta stay fit somehow,” he says, imitating Jason’s words from the other day. He then turns away from him and bends to move into the next pose and hears Jason make a strangled noise behind him, quickly getting up and heading to the showers. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tim smirks and continues his routine.</span>
  <span><br/>
<br/>
</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>___</span>
  <span><br/>
<br/>
</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>After the third night in a row of Jason ending up with Tim, they give up any pretense of starting out in different beds and Jason is already lying there when Tim turns off the lights and crawls in. Jason immediately pulls Tim into his arms, enveloping him in his body heat. He whispers a soft ‘good night.’ His breathing evens out and a few moments later he falls asleep. Tim follows him into unconsciousness soon after.</span>
  <span><br/>
<br/>
</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>___</span>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jason couldn’t tell what woke him. Maybe it was the lack of body heat besides him, or maybe it was some deep ingrained bat sense, either way he found himself conscious. The artificial lights set to mimic earth hours are still dimmed, so it must be late at night. Tim isn’t beside him, and he only has one blanket, although there are still two pillows.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Curious, he gets up, blanket wrapped around his shoulders, and goes to look for the other boy. It isn’t very hard to find him, which is unsurprising considering the size of the ship they’re stuck on. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tim is sitting next to one of the observation windows, swaddled in his blanket and arms wrapped around his knees as he leans against the wall. Tim tenses for a second before relaxing as Jason approaches, but otherwise doesn’t react.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> “Mind if I join you?” Jason murmurs softly, and Tim shrugs in response. Jason plops down next to him, their bodies close but not touching. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you doing down here?” He asks, voice still soft and rough from sleep.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Just thinking,” Tim replies, eye’s not leaving the window. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“About?” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Life I guess, if everything we’re doing is worth it.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Those are pretty big thoughts,” Jason says.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Tim just sighs. “There’s not much else to do out here besides thinking.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“You could try happy thoughts,” Jason suggests jokingly, and Tim finally turns away from the window, rolling his eyes.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We’re Bats. We don’t usually get the luxury of happy thoughts,” Tim says, words heavy with resignation. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jason doesn’t argue, he knows it’s true.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They sit in silence for a few minutes, neither of them speaking. Then Jason quietly slides closer to him, throwing an arm over Tim’s shoulders. Tim leans his head against Jason’s chest, neither of them saying a word as they stare out into space and let themselves be vulnerable in the presence of someone else.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>___</span>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They fall asleep like that, and if Tim wakes up briefly some time later and spends a few long minutes staring up at the older boy’s peaceful expression, there’s nobody there to witness it.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>They wake up with a lurch, the sound of screeching metal ringing through the ship. Before Jason can think about it, he’s thrown himself over Tim protecting him from the unknown danger. When the shuddering and piercing noise stop, the boys stare at each other with wide eyes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“What was that,” Jason asks in a whisper, as though a too loud noise could trigger the shaking to resume.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“I don’t know. I need to get to the control panel to find out,” Tim replies just as quietly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jason nods, but doesn’t move until Tim raises an eyebrow and Jason realizes he’s still pinning Tim to the floor. He rolls off him quickly, a light blush dusting his cheeks despite the circumstances.</span>
  <span><br/>
<br/>
</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Tim gets up slowly, his movements timid, and heads towards the control panel slowly. Food and water packs that hadn’t been secured have fallen and are scattered across the floor. Tim makes sure to avoid stepping on them. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>When he gets to the control panel, there’s a multitude of flashing red lights, none of which means anything good, and Tim sucks in a sharp breath at what he reads on the screen.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“What is it?” Jason asks from where he’s still sitting on the floor.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Somethings gone wrong with the oxygen tanks.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They stare at each other with matching expressions of horror.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“How long do we have?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Right now, 4 hours.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>That’s not long enough for the team to reach them, even going their fastest. If they don’t make a plan, they’ll be long dead by the time they arrive. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Can we fix it?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Tim chews his lip, eyebrows furrowed. “I don’t know, but we have to try.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>___</span>
  <span><br/>
<br/>
</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They contact the team to update them on the situation, and before they’ve even finished their report they can hear that the engines have been turned to turbo. Kory gives them what’s probably an optimistic estimate of 10 hours. It’s close, but if everything goes to plan there should be time…</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They pull up the schematics of the ship and hobble together a plan. It’ll be a patch job at best, but they don’t need more than a temporary solution.They just need to make their oxygen last until the team can get to them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The plan is to send Jason into the engine room and divert the oxygen flow away from the broken tanks and towards the remaining functioning one.If everything goes right, it’ll buy them the needed extra 6 hours. It’ll be cutting it close, but with the help of two emergency oxygen masks, they should be able to make it… hopefully.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>After a lot of bickering it’s decided that Jason will be the one going into the engine room to enact their plan. The only reason for this is because the shutting off of the valve will require a lot of muscle and Jason is physically stronger than Tim - regardless of Tim’s protests.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>The gravity in the room will probably be off, and so using one of the blankets, they create a tether for Tim to reel Jason back in with.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Before he goes there, Jason gives him a look heavy with emotions, and then heads inside. The small pile of rope at Tim's side quickly dwindles as he moves deeper into the room.</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>It’s several minutes before Tim feels two tugs on the rope, the signal for him to start pulling Jason out, and Tim heaves a sigh of relief at the sign. All that relief vanishes when Jason comes back into view and his thigh is soaked in blood. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“What happened?” Tim asks, distress bleeding into his tone.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“There was a loose panel, the edges were much sharper than expected,” Jason says, hissing  in pain as he puts weight on the injured leg in the much denser gravity. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tim hurriedly pulls apart their makeshift rope and ties a tourniquet around his thigh above the injury. He tries to hide the shaking of his hands as he does so, but he’s not very successful. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>___</span>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Moving around would be a waste of oxygen, so they sit against the wall by the panel containing the emergency oxygen masks. There were originally three of them, but one has been damaged leaving only two of them functional. They’re waiting until their remaining oxygen has dwindled enough for the air to be hard to breathe before they use them. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Talking is a waste of air too, so instead they sit in silence. After barely an hour, Tim slips his hand into Jason's and squeezes it. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They stare at each other intently, but neither says a word.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They’re at about 9 hours, in which the two have moved close enough for them to trade off naps against the others shoulder, when breathing becomes hard and with a glance it’s agreed it’s time to put the masks on, but when they activate them to test them there’s a hissing sound, and a look of despair immediately crosses Jason’s face. The tube of his mask is damaged making the whole thing useless.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“We can share,” Tim says desperately, “it’ll be fine, the team will be here soon.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He’s lying, by their estimates they’re still nearly an hour away. The shared tank won’t last that long.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Tim…” Jason says, hopelessness written across his face.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“No!” Tim nearly shouts, and then says with a softer voice, “No, we’re going to make this work.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>After a long moment Jason nods, the expression of hopelessness in his eyes replaced with a look of vicious determination.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Jason cups Tim's cheek and leans in slowly, his intent clear, but giving Tim time to pull away. He doesn’t. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He kisses Tim breathless, or that might just be the lack of oxygen, but either way, it’s filled with passion, and they both pull away panting, Jason’s eyes are shining with emotion as he strokes his thumb gently under Tim’s eye before sliding his hand down to rest against his neck.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sorry,” Jason whispers, and Tim's about to ask for what when he feels it; a sharp pinch at the back of his neck and then the sudden rush of numbness through his body. Jason nerve struck him, rendering him immobile for at least the next 45 minutes. But by then it will be too late.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“No! Jason please!” Tim cries out desperately as Jason fastens the working mask to Tim’s face and turns him away so he can’t see Jason. So that he can’t watch him die, Tim realizes, feeling hot tears fall from his eyes. He continues to call out for Jason, but there is no reply.  His survival instincts are shouting at him to preserve oxygen, but he doesn’t care, only stopping when his voice grows hoarse. The room falls silent. Their breathing, Jason’s much too shallow, is the only audible sign of time passing in the otherwise deafening quiet of space.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Jason’s hand is still gripping his tightly, but as the minutes go on the grip loosens until there’s only the occasional squeeze, eventually his hand goes entirely limp as he loses the strength to hold on. Tim can’t even squeeze back, all he can do is shut his eyes and desperately wish for their team to arrive.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>___</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Jason’s heart breaks at the look of betrayal in Tim's eye’s as he realizes what Jason is doing. The desperation in his voice and the quiet sobs only serve to crush it further. It’s a good thing this is going to kill him, he thinks morosely, because he doesn’t think he could live with himself for being the cause of those noises.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>His pant’s leg is soaked through with blood, and if the oxygen deprivation wasn’t going to kill him first, he’d probably be in danger of bleeding out. He wonders briefly which would be more painful, but quickly dismisses the thought. There’s no use thinking about it when his fate is already sealed. Has been sealed since the moment he heard the hissing of the broken mask, since he realized that - despite Tim's claims - there was only enough oxygen for one of them to be getting out of this alive, and he refused for it to be him.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As he lies there, Tim’s hand clasped tightly in his, he’s oddly calm. He’s not scared to die, he’s done it before, and this time is infinitely better than the first. This time it’s for a reason. He’s still sad of course, sad about all the things he’ll never get to do, about the way he’s leaving Tim, about all the people he won’t get to say goodbye to. But he's saving Tim’s life, and that makes everything worth it.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>As darkness consumes his vision and he’s pulled under, he hears voices shouting his name, it’s his team. Huh, maybe this isn’t the end after all, he feels a smile tug at his lips before he falls into the oblivion.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>___</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tim is sobbing softly as Kon picks him up from the floor, yelling something that Tim can hear, but not comprehend. All he knows is that Jason is gone. He blinks and suddenly he’s in Kory’s ship, and his now empty oxygen tank is being replaced with a new one. The rush of fresh air filling his grateful lungs. But none of this matters, not when Jason isn’t here to do the same.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He distantly feels them checking him over, blood pressure, any wounds, but he can’t bring himself to care.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Jason,” he rasps softly, not knowing how to continue. How do you ask someone what’s going to happen now that their ally, their friend, their teammate - he was so many things to so many </span>
  <span>people - is dead.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Jason?” Kon replies looking quizzically at Tim, but it’s the first thing he’s seemed to engage with since they got to him, so Kon runs with it, “Yeah, he got hurt pretty bad, but they’ve got him on oxygen now and Kory says they have his blood type on her ship. He should be up in a few days.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Tim’s head jerks up to look at Kon in the eyes. His mouth is slightly open and his expression is filled with so many emotions it’s become unreadable, “He’s alive?” he asks almost frantically.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Kon has barely started giving a confused nod - what else would he be - when Tim is off the exam table, ripping off his mask and rushing to find Jason, ignoring Kon’s loud protests of how he shouldn’t be running around yet. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He finds Jason - he’s bloodied and pale in a way that makes Tim's chest tight - lying on a medical cot with a beeping heart monitor attached to him. Beeping. Beeping means alive, even if it is far too weak for anyone to be truly comfortable.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He’s at his side in a moment, gripping his too pale hand. Tim feels as if he can breathe for the first time since Jason’s lips had left his. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>___</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Tim!” Jason gasps as he regains consciousness. His throat feels raw and his head is pounding with a headache, not to mention the throbbing of his still injured leg. But he’s alive, and the realization nearly has him giggling hysterically before he realises the reason he’d nearly died in the first place.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He looks around quickly, ignoring how the sharp movements make the headache worse. Then his eye’s land on Tim who’s sitting next to the medical cot he’s lying on, and it’s as if all the pain fades away.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> “You’re okay,” he says, his voice heavy with relief, even as he watches Tim’s relieved expression morphs into anger, fury.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“How dare you!” he shouts, “How dare you do- do </span>
  <em>
    <span>that</span>
  </em>
  <span>, and then try to die! Try to </span>
  <em>
    <span>leave me</span>
  </em>
  <span>!” The hurt in Tim’s voice is raw and agonizing.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Tim…” Jason starts, his tone one of despair at having caused him pain, but before he can finish, Tim is storming out of the room, leaving Jason to stare after him.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>He only realises they hadn’t been alone when Roy let’s out a whistle from where he’s sitting on the other side of the room, “How’d you manage to mess that one up.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Jason looks at him miserably. </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“The kid’s barely spoken since we rescued you guys. Hasn’t left your side either,” Roy says.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“How long was I out?” he enquires.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“18 hours, give or take.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Jason lets out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding. “And he hasn’t left me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Nope, it was a struggle to even get him away long enough to check him over and get him into a new set of clothes.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Jason looks down at his lap, not replying.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span> “What happened between you guys? You weren’t all...” Roy makes a waving gesture with his hand, “Before you left?” Jason stays silent, and Roy huffs, “Fine, but we’re talking about it at some point. In the meantime you should probably go clear whatever it is up with him.” </span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>To this, Jason nods.</span>
  <span><br/>
<br/>
</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>___</span>
  <span><br/>
<br/>
</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Once Jason's been checked over again, received a hug from Kory, and been hit over the head for his stupidity by Roy, he sets off to find Tim, relying heavily on his newly acquired crutches. Jason spots him in the small observation deck, curled up on one of the couches, staring out at the countless stars. He sits down next to him with relatively little trouble. Tim doesn’t immediately get up and stomp away, so Jason counts that as a win.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“What are you thinking about?” Jason asks, but Tim remains silent. “Tim,” he says sighing, “Please talk to me.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Why did you do it?” Tim asks in a whisper.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Because it was better me than you, because I couldn’t bear to think of a world that didn’t have you in it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“And how do you think I would feel? I don't want to- I </span>
  <em>
    <span>can’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> lose you!” Tim’s voice breaks as he speaks, and Jason feels his heart twist painfully in his chest.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all,” Jason replies softly.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>Tim gives an incredulous huff, “Are you really quoting poetry at me right now?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Jason shrugs giving him a small grin, “It seemed appropriate.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>Tim shakes his head with a small smile on his face, but it falls away quickly and is replaced again with sadness, “I thought you were going to die. I thought you were going to die and I’d never get to tell you how I feel...” He looks up at that, eye’s locking with Jason’s.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m here now, Tim. With the lives we live... I can’t promise I’ll stay forever, but in this moment, we’re together, and there's nobody I’d rather be with.”</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>They stare at each other, gazes heated, and lean forward simultaneously, pouring everything they can’t yet put into words into the kiss, it quickly changes from soft and sweet to burning and desperate. When they pull away Tim knows the way they’re both panting has nothing to do with oxygen, and everything to do with the electrically charged air he can feel between them.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>“Then promise that you’ll stay with me as long as you can,” he whispers, “Because there’s nobody else I’d rather be with either.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>“I promise,” Jason replies, voice just as soft, but no less intense.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span><br/>
</span>
  <span>And then they’re kissing again. It’s not perfect, Jason is still injured and Tim is still scared for what the future may bring, but in this moment, all that exists is the two of them, and that’s better than perfect.</span>
</p>
<p><br/>
<br/>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Day 6, Space! So I took something really sweet and then went <em>what if I made them suffer.<em> I hope you guys enjoyed it!</em></em></p>
<p>Thank you to the awesome people who helped beta this!</p>
<p>Any Kudos or comments you leave are appreciated! :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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